Front shell loader



Sept. 7, 1965 Filed Nov. l5 1963 N. c. JACKSON 3,204,518

FRONT SHELL LOADER 2 Sheets-Sheet l zwvENToR. /Vo/a/f C. Jac/6500 Sept. 7, 1965 N. c. JACKSON FRONT SHELL LOADER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 13. 1963 .Illllll Nm n- INVENTOR. /Vo/a/f C. .Jac/6.50

y lf A TTU/ENE United States Patent O 3,204,518 FRONT SHELL LOADER Nolan C. Jackson, Wichita, Kans., assignor to Wichita Precision Tool Company, Inc., Wichita, Kans., a corporation of Kansas Filed Nov. 13, 1963, Ser. No. 323,441 1 Claim. (Cl. {i6-43) This invention relates to cartridge loaders, and more particularly, to apparatus for seating the bullet into the shell casing.

Machines have heretofore been used for holding a bullet in an upright position as the open end of a shell casing is advanced along a path of travel to push the bullet against an anvil member and thereby force the bullet into seated position in the shell casing. Although the machines of the prior art have met with a certain amount of commercial success, they have had certain functional limitations which have retarded the useful capabilities of the machines. One of the most serious problems encountered with such machines has been the lack of successful means for temporarily holding the bullet in spaced relationship from the casing as the latter is moved along the path which ultimately results in forcing the bullet into the casing.

Since the bullet is seated after the powder is loaded into the casing, it is necessary that the casing be held in an upright position during the seating operation in order to keep the loaded powder from falling out of the casing. This requires that the bullet be in position above the casing during the seating operation. However, because of the necessity for permitting relative movement between the casing and the bullet as the latter is forced into the casing, there cannot be any rigid support between the bullet and the casing to hold the bullet in fixed position above the casing and against the force of gravity. Machines previously used have, in the main, had to be constructed so that the bullet could rest directly on the shell casing as the latter is advanced toward the stationary anvil for forcing the bullet into the casing.

A position for the bullet on the casing throughout the movement of the casing is not desirable for several reasons. One is that, because the casing is lilled with powder when put in the machine, it must be advanced in an upright position into a vertical tube from beneath for seating the bullet. The casing had to be started into the tube by the time the bullet was inserted or the latter would fall out. Thus, it was necessary to advance the casing part of the way into the tube, halt such advancement, insert the bullet into the tube, and then complete the advancement of the casing until the bullet was seated therein. The halting of the casing while the bullet was inserted, required more complicated machinery than would have otherwise been necessary and was a more costly operation than if the casing could be advanced in one continuous step.

Another disadvantage heretofore encountered was the diiiiculty in keeping the bullet properly aligned with the casing when it rode the latter through a substantial portion of its travel. A still further disadvantage arose from the desirability of providing machinery permitting movement of the shell casing and the bullet laterally into their respective positions ready for loading. Such movement of these components, from separate sources, would have been ideally suited for the loading operation which of necessity `had to proceed along a substantially vertical path. However, the virtual impossibility of successfully holding the bullet in position until such time as the casing advanced to the proper position for entry 3,204,518 Patented Sept. 7, 1965 ICC of the bullet into the casing has impeded operations incorporating such lateral feed lines to the machine.

Accordingly, it is the primary object of this invention to provide bullet-seating apparatus capable of securely holding a bullet in spaced relationship from the shell casing in the path of the latter during the bulletseating operation.

Another object ofthe invention and attainable in the achievement of the foregoing object is to provide apparatus wherein the bullet may move relative to the shell casing just before the bullet is seated into the casmg.

A still further object of the invention is to provide structure for permitting the varying of the extent to which the bullet is seated into the casing by adjusting the position of the anvil member, yet insuring that the member remain in absolute alignment with the path of travel of the casing to insure proper seating of the bullet.

Still another object of the invention is to provide structure whereby the relative positions of certain of the components may be calibrated to insure quick and accurate adjustment of the position to which the bullet is seated in the casing.

A yet further object of the invention is to provide a shell loader having a quickly detachable casing holder so that the holder may be readily removed and replaced with another holder of a different size to permit use of the lo ader with various sized shells.

Still other important objects of the invention will be pointed out or will become more apparent as the specification progresses.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view on a reduced scale of a shell loader embodying the principles of this invention, parts being broken away to reveal details of construction and the position of the shell casing and its `holding structure at one extreme end of its path of travel shown by dotted lines;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the bullet seater embodying the principles of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, vertical, cross-sectional view through the shell loader showing the bullet seater with a bullet supported therein, parts of the casing holding structure being broken away and shown in cross section to reveal details of construction;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but showing the positions of the components after the bullet has been seated in the shell casing;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 5 but showing the bullet seater in an adjusted position for causing the bullet to be seated to a lesser depth in the shell casing;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the shell mount clamp, parts being broken away for clearness;

FIG. 8 is a plan View of the shell mount; and

FIG. 9 is a front` elevational view of the mount of FIG. 8.

A shell loader embodying the principles of this invention is broadly designated 10 and includes a bullet seater 12 having a bullet holder 14 therein, and reciprocable structure 16 adapted to advance a shell casing 18 toward the bullet holder 14, and means 20 for reciprocating the structure 16.

Loader 1t) also includes a frame 22 having a pair of horizontally spaced, vertically disposed, cylindrical guide rods 24 and 26 rigidly secured thereto. A horizontally disposed crosshead 28 extends between rods 24 and 26 in vertically spaced relationship from structure 16 and mounts thereon the bullet seater 12.

The bullet seater 12 includes a tubular body 30 having a cylindrical passage 32 extending axially of body 38. The lower end of body 30 is provided with external threads 34 which threadably engage an internally threaded aperture 36 extending through crosshead 28 to mount seater 12 in a vertical position. The upper end of body 30 is open, and thread means 38 are disposed on the outer surface of body 30 proximal the open end thereof. A chamfer 40 extending around the lower open end of body 30 insures easy insertion of casing 18 therein in a manner to be explained hereinafter.

Bullet holder 14 is made from yieldable material which may be nylon or the like, and includes an elongated, tubular sleeve 42 having a longitudinally extending slot 44 in the outer surface thereof which accommodates a setscrew 46 extending into passage 32 of body 30 in the manner best known in FIGS. 4 and 5. The inner surface of body 30 defining passage 32 is smooth, and the outer surface of sleeve 42 is also smooth and is complementally received in passage 32 so that holder 14 is free to slide longitudinally within body 30. As best seen in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5, the side wall of body 30 is cutaway to provide a window 48 therein, and the side wall of holder 14 is likewise cutaway to provide a window 50 therein which is in registry with window 48 when the components of loader 10 are in the position shown in FIGS. l, 2 and 4. The lower end of sleeve 42 is charnfered to present an outwardly flared end surface 52 which is engaged by an inwardly sloped, annular surface 54 on casing 18 as the latter is moved upwardly relative to holder 14. The cylindrical, axially extending passage in sleeve 42 is restricted near the lower end thereof by an annular, inwardly extending embossment 56 integral with sleeve 42 and defining an annular openings 58 in axial alignment with the axis of passage 32 in body 30. Embossment 56 presents a shoulder 60 facing toward the bottom end of body 30 and an annular shoulder 62 facing toward the upper end of body 30 for purposes to be hereinafter described. An annular groove 64 in the outer surface of sleeve 42 circumscribes embossment 56.

An anvil member broadly designated 66 includes a plunger 68 having a smooth, cylindrical outer surface 70 complementally engaging the smooth, cylindrical inner surface of body 30 to thereby hold an elongated anvil 72 in precise axial alignment in passage 32. Anvil 72 is of a transverse diameter sufficiently small to fit within sleeve 42 and is provided with an irregular, frusto-conical recess 74 in the lower end thereof for receiving in recess 74, the upper pointed end of a bullet 76. It may be seen from FIG. 4 that bullet 76 rests upon annular shoulder 62 where it is held in position until the loading operation is undertaken. Windows 48 and 50 in body 30 and sleeve 42, respectively, permit insertion of the bullet 76j from the front of loader 10 to thereby make loader 10 a front shell loader as contrasted to other loaders wherein the bullets are disposed into the seating apparatus from one end thereof.

The upper end of sleeve 42 presents an annular shoulder 78 which is engaged by one end of yieldable means in the form of a helical spring 80: which has the other end thereof engaging a shoulder 82 at the bottom end of plunger 68. The latter is maintained in passage 32 by means of a cap 84 threadably engaging thread means 38. It may be seen from the drawings that plunger 68 is forced into passage 32 to` the extent that cap 84 is threaded down upon body 30. The further cap 84 is threaded onto body 3.0, the closer recess '74 will be disposed toward the lower open end f body 30. A setscrew 86 is conveniently supplied in cap 84 for releasably securing the latter in any given position of threaded engagement on body 30. Indicia 86 on the lower edge of cap 84 are alignable with an index 90 on body 30 to reveal at a glance the relative threaded engagement of cap 84 on body 30.

Spring 80 serves to automatically move plunger 68 into engagement with cap 84 and to thereby withdraw recess 74 away from the lower end of body 30 as cap 84 is rotated to a position thereof toward the extreme upper end of body 30. Also, spring serves to bias sleeve 42 into its position with setscrew 46 engaging the uppermost end of groove 44. A threaded, annular collar 92 is provided for locking seater 12 in its upright position on crosshead 28.

Structure 16 includes a base member 94 which may have holes (not shown) extending therethrough for receiving the respective rods 24 and 26 so that member 94 is guided along a rectilinear path of reciprocation. Member 94 is rigidly secured to a plunger 96 which in turn is coupled with a piston 98 of a uid piston and cylinder assembly 100 having connections by hoses 102 and 104 to a source of Huid under pressure for driving piston 98, and thereby plunger 96, either toward or away from seater 12. It will be understood that hoses 102 and 104 are connected to said source through suitable control means whereby fluid may be alternately directed into the assembly 100 on either side of piston 98.

An externally threaded stud 106 extends upwardly from member 94 and has a recess 188 in the upper end thereof which complementally receives the lowermost flanged end 110 of a casing holder 112. Holder 112 includes a neck portion 114 of less transverse dimension than end 110 extending integral with the latter and a mount 116 adapted to receive the primer end of shell casing 18. Mount 116 may best be seen in FIGS. 8 and 9 and includes a horizontally, generally U-shaped groove 118 communicating with the upper surface of mount 116 so that casing 18 may be inserted into groove 118 from the side of mount 116. An overhanging lip 120 on mount 116 and around groove 118 serves to hold casing 18 in its upright position in axial alignment wtih body 30 after casing 18 has been inserted into groove 118.

A clamp broadly designated 122 has an internally threaded bore 124 threadably engaging stud 106 and includes a partially closed, upper surface 126 having a U-shaped notch 128 therein for accommodating neck portion 114 of holder 112. The peripheral surface of clamp 122 may be hexagonal to accommodate a wrench or the like. Holder 112 may be rigidly secured to stud 106 by loosening clamp 122, sliding the neck portion 114 of holder 112 into notch 128 until end 118 thereof is in position for seating in recess 108. When clamp 122 is then tightened upon stud 106, holder 112 is rmly clamped into position. Clamp 122 may be easily loosened to permit changing holders 112 for accommodating various sized shell casings 18 as will be readily understood.

In operation, casing 18 is inserted into holder 112 in an upright position and in axial alignment with anvil 72. Casing 18 is filled with powder 130 in the desired amount. Bullet 76 is then inserted through aligned windows 48 and 50 of body 30 and sleeve 42, respectively, into an upright position in holder 14. Bullet 76 rests upon the annular shoulder 62 of embossment 56. Operating means 20 is then actuated to cause movement of structure 16 toward seater 12 to thereby advance casing 18 toward bullet 76. In the position shown in FIG. 4, the upper rim of casing 18 engages shoulder 60, and surface 54 of casing 18 engages surface 52 of sleeve 42, such interengagement of casing 18 with holder 14 serving to shift holder 14 upwardly with casing 18 under the influence of means 20. Holder 14 is free to slide in passage 32 and against the bias of spring 80 as casing 18 is moved further on its path of travel toward anvil 72. The bullet 76 continues to ride with holder 14 and remains in its upright position on embossment 56 and in vertically spaced relationship from the upper open end of casing 18.

Just as soon as the upper end of bullet 76. is engaged in seated relationship with anvil 72 in recess 74, bullet 76 is no longer free to be carried with holder 14 even though the latter continues its advancement by virtue of the engagement of the upper end of casing 18 with shoulder 60.

Thus, there is initiated relative movement between bullet '76 and casing 118 which causes bullet 76 to expand the opening 58 defined by embossment 56 to permit passage of the bullet as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6. Lt will be appreciated that groove 64 contributes substantially to the expansion of opening 58 by presenting an area of weakness in the side wall of sleeve 42 to permit the yieldable material to Vdeilect suiciently for bullet 76 to pass through opening 58. Additionally, groove 64 is of material benet in permitting bulle-t 76 to move relative to casing 18 by providing space for receiving the material of sleeve 42 as embossment 56 is forced outwardly.

Structure 16 is moved until bullet 76 is for-ced into the uppermost open end of casing 18 as shown in FIG. 5. The extent to which bullet 76 is forced into the casing 18 will be determined by the position of anvil 72 inasmuch as assembly 100 has a stroke of uniform length. The position of anvil 72 may be readily adjusted as heretofore explained by rotating cap 84 on body 30. rThe rela- .tive positions of anvil 72 are readily located by means of the calibrations recorded by indicia S8 whereby micrometer adjustments may be preset on the seater 12.

When a charge of a greater amount of powder 130 is desired in casing 1S, anvil 72 may be se-t in a position as illustrated in FIG. 6 wherein bullet 76 will not be seated quite so far into casing 18 kas if anvil 72 were set in the position shown in FIG. 5.

-Not to be overlooked is the importance in this invention of providing the external thread means 38 cooperating with the internally threaded cap 84 for providing the adjustments to anvil 72. Such arrangement advantageously permits smooth working surfaces on plunger 63 and the inside of body 30 so that anvil 72 is constantly maintained in precise axial alignment with body 30. Heretofore diiculties have been encountered wherein an internally threaded body was utilized in that the irregularly threaded surface permitted the anvil member to shift out of :axial alignment, thereby causing improper seating of the bullets.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

Apparat-us for forcing a bullet into the open end of a shell casing comprising:

a bullet holder adapted to receive a bullet thereon in -supporting relationship thereto, said bullet holder including a tubular body tand a sleeve slidably received in the body;

normally fixed anvil means disposed to overlie a bullet positioned on said holder;

reciprocable structure adapted to receive the shell casing thereon in disposition with the open end of the shell casing facing toward the bullet on said holder; and

operating means coupled to the structure for shifting the latter along a path to move the open end of the shell casing into engagement with the bullet and thereafter shift the shell casing through a suicient `distance to force the bullet into the shell casing as the bullet engages and is held against movement by the anvil means, said sleeve having an elongated bullet-receiving passage therethrough located in alignment with the path lof travel of the casing and an annular embossment on the sleeve within said passage, said embossment defining an annular shoulder in the path of movement of the shell casing and .positioned to be engaged by the edge of the shell casing as the latter is shifted towards said bullet, whereby the embossment is located to support a bullet thereon positioned within the passage, said sleeve and said embossment being of yieldable material to permit enlargement of the embossment for passing the bullet through the passage and past the embossment, said embossment being movable into a bullet-clearing location when the casing is shifted along said path of travel thereof into contact with the embossment and the bullet is moved into engagement with the .anvil means whereby, during continued movement of the casing toward the anvil means, the bullet is forced into the open end of the casing.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,642,344 l9/27 Spencer 86-23 2,004,420 6/ 35 Siebert 86-23 2,091,397 8/ 37 Shockey 86-23 2,571,272 10/51 Martin 86-43 2,600,488 6/52 Crump 86-43 2,700,915 2/55 Pattison 86-43 2,829,554 4/58 Sawyer 86-43 3,082,660 3/63 Robertson 86-44 BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner. 

